Sampler



June 2, 1953 w. MOCLURE ET AL SAMPLER Filed Dec. 11, 1947 INVENTORS- .WILLIAM L. MO OLURE BY ROBERT N. PIM

ATTORNEYS Patented June 2, 1953 Pim, Philadelphia, Pa., assignoi's to sun Oil Company, Philadelphia, Pa. a corporation of New Jersey Application December 11, 1947, Serial No. 791,138

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for the sampling of fluids. More particularly, it relates to apparatus whereby a sample of a fluid can be collected at a constant or pred'eterminably vari able rate over any desired period or time regardless of the length of said period of time.

- It is Well known that in many fields of en deavor fluid samples are required to be collected over certain predetermined periods of time during which the source of the sample may vary from time to time in composition and acomposite or overall sample is desired to be collected. It is essential that the collection of said sample be made at a constant rate in order to ensure that a true or representative composite sample will be collected. For example, in the refining of petroleum oils it is often necessary to withdraw samples at a constant rate from streams in the refinery to determine overall product composi tion. Or in some operations of a nature such that variations occur, say, during a cyclic pro cedure, it becomes necessary to take a composite sample at a predeterminably variable rate. Various devices have been set forth to ensure this ob ject but these are cumbersome, diilicu'lt to maintain in working condition and are of an involved structure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device with which efficient constant orpredeterminably variable rate sampling of fluids can be accomplished.

According to this invention there is provided device iorthe constant rate sampling of fluids from sources under pressure which comprises providing a suitably valved sample receiving zone, a liquid container zone, means interconnecting said zones to. establish free liquid flow therebetween and withdrawal means for withdrawing liquid from said liquid container zone, said withdrawal means being so constructed and arranged as'to discharge the liquid withdrawn always from substantially the surface of the liquid in the liquid container or from a predetermined vertical distance therebelow regardless of the depth of said liquid at any time during the withdrawal thereof. Thus, in this invention the withdrawal of the liquid from the container is so arranged that the discharge pressure, or static head will be independent of thedepth of the liquidin said container at any given moment during the with drawal thereof and, therefore, will remain substantially constant. Thus, as the liquid level in the liquid container drops, the liquid level in the fluid sample receiver will drop correspondingly permitting a sample to enter at its upper 2 portion which, in operation, is connected to a sam le source;

It is obvious that for constant rate withdrawal of fluid from the sample source the bore or diameter of the fluid sample receiver and the liquid container should be uniform throughout their heights. By varying the cross-section of either the fluid sample receiver or the liquid container, or both, a predeterminably variable rate withdrawal of fluid sample from the sample source can be accomplished; Thus the drop in liquid level at any given height of either the receiver or the container can be made to occur more 'or less quickly by simply decreasing or increasing the dimensions or diameter-of the receiver at that height level.

In order to more fully illustrate the invention reference is made to the drawing schematically representing one form of apparatus which may be employed. In the drawing 2 designates a fluid sample receiver. .A liquid container 3 is intercommunicatively connected with fluid sample receiver 2 through conduit i. A .float 5.car;-. rying siphon v.6 havina a valved discharge end 1 is placed upon the surface of the liquid in liquid container 3. Fluid sample receiver 2 is provided with a valved inlet .8 which is connectedto a sample source, not shown. A valved outlet M can be used to remove the collected fluid sample if desired, or the .entire chamber 2 can be disengaged and the sample removed through valve 8. the liquid two siphon intake lines 6 and 6' are shown. It will be understood that balance of the heat may-be accomplished in other manner Without departing from the scopeof the inven, tion. The siphon discharge leg or arm 9 passes down through a stand pipe ;lil,,or;its equivalent. A pressure housing H covers container 3. The vessel J2, closed to receive pressure for proper operation, is a liquid receiver disposed to cooperate with the siphon discharge arm 8.

A conduit is is provided by means of which the pressure existing withinthe sample source is caused to be exertedin liquid container 3 and in vessel l2. Thus, at all times the pressure at the two ends of intercommunicating conduit '4 will be the same and the sample can be collected at a constant rate. Valve j'l may be operatedby.

remote control or adjusted before the apparatus is put into use.

To operate the apparatus liquid container 3 is filled with liquid. Valve 8 or valved outlet M being open the liquid will flow into and fill fluid sample receiver 2. The valve or valves are To provide balance of the float upon,

now closed and the siphon 6 is primed. After connecting the fluid sample receiver to a source from which sample is to be taken and after priming of the siphon the apparatus can be placed into operation by opening valves 1 and 8. As liquid passes out through valve l the intake arms of siphon 6 move down into liquid container 3. This movement will correspond with the drop in liquid level and the discharge arm 9 of siphon 6 will move a corresponding distance down through stand pipe 10. The conduit i3 transmits a pressure to balance that of the source connected to the sample receiver 2 into the closed upper section of the closed liquid container 3. As the vessels 2 and 3 are always separated by the operating liquid during the sampling operation, the simplest way to balance the pressures in the respective parts of the device is to con nect the vessel portions 2, l l and 12 to the same pressure source as shown in the drawing. Such a connection balances the operating conditions throughout the device and permits taking a sample as a controlled operation.

The apparatus according to this invention has been found to be of particular utility in connection with sampling in refinery operations. The applicability of said apparatus to other manufacturing operations will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A constant rate gas sampler comprising an enclosed gas sample receiver; a valved conduit communicating with said gas sample receiver adapted to supply gas sample to said gas sample receiver; an enclosed liquid container; communicating means between said gas sample source and said liquid container, said communicating means communicating with said liquid container at a position above the liquid level therein; communicating means between said gas sample receiver and said liquid container whereby free liquid flow therebetween is maintained; an enclosed liquid receiving vessel positioned below said liquid container; a centrally positioned vertical conduit extending above the liquid level in said liquid container, and communicating with said liquid receiving vessel; a float of torus shape positioned within said liquid container, said vertical conduit extending through the aperture of said torus float; a siphon tube having a plurality of legs attached to said float at equispaced intervals thereon, each of said legs extending a fixed distance below the surface of the liquid level; a single leg of said siphon extending through said vertical conduit adapted to remove liquid from said liquid container and supply said removed liquid to said liquid receiving vessel, said single leg extending above said vertical conduit and thereabove connecting and communicating with each of said plurality of legs; said float carrying said siphon'adapted to ascend and descend in direct relation to changes in position of the liquid level in said liquid container, said movement being independent of said liquid container, said vertical conduit therein, and said liquid receiving vessel.

2. A fluid sampler for use under pressure conditions comprising a sealed liquid container having a pressure inlet and outlet in the upper 4 section thereof, a center section in said container adapted to support a volume of liquid, and a lower section pressure connected to the upper section to receive liquid from said center section; a sealed sample receiving chamber positioned adjacent the liquid supporting section of said container having a sample inlet in the top connected to the pressure inlet and a liquid transfer aperture in the bottom thereof, said sample chamber positioned to receive and evacuate liquid from and to the liquid container; and a floating siphon constructed and arranged to reduce the volume of liquid at a constant rate in the sample chamber and evenly collect a fluid .sample in the upper part of said chamber.

3. A device to receive samples of fluid from a source under pressure comprising a closed container adapted to support a volume of liquid, a

sealed sample receiving chamber adjacent said liquid container having a sample inlet in the top connected to the sample source and a liquid transfer aperture connected to said liquid container, a float supported siphon adapted to reduced the volume or liquid at a constant rate in said liquid container and sample receiving chamber, a sealed liquid receiving container disposed to receive the flow of liquid transferred from the liquid container by said siphon, and conduit means connecting the liquid container, sample receiver chamber and liquid receiver container to the sample source to maintain uniform pressure operating conditions throughout the device.

4. A fluid sampler to receive samples of fluid from a source under pressure comprising a closed container adapted to support a volume of liquid and having a gas space above the liquid level, a sealed sample-receiving chamber having a sample inlet in the top adapted for connection with the sample source, a liquid transfer connection between said chamber and container, a pressure equalizing connection between said chamber and the gas space of the container, 2. float in said container, a second liquid-receiving container in open communication with the gas space of the first-named container, and a siphon, comprising legs secured to and extending below said float and a leg extending into the second-named container, through which liquid is adapted to be conveyed from the first-named container to the second-named container.

WILLIAM L. MCCLURE. ROBERT N. PIM.

References Cited in the flle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 712 Gray Apr. 25,1838 693,993 Musciacco Apr. 29, 1902 1,891,592 Fitzgerald Dec. 20, 1932 1,932,582 Halvarson Oct. 31, 1933 1,970,880, Bird Aug. 21, 1934 2,213,521 Haeberlin Sept. 3, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,067 Sweden of 1889 80,832 Germany Apr. 18, 1895 

